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The Journey to the Perfect Search Engine [Infographic]

It’s interesting. There was a time — about two decades ago now — when most of us didn’t know about the Internet.

Sure, some of us had been exposed to Lycos and AltaVista, but the Internet and, specifically, search engines as they stand now? No way. If we wanted to contact someone, we looked them up in the phone book. If we wanted to research the history of the Byzantine Empire, we went to the library. There was no immediate gratification of going to Google and searching for anything and everything.

These days, search engines are so entrenched in our everyday lives that it’s not something we even really think about anymore. We simply open our browser window (or mobile device), type in what we’re looking for, and a second later we have an answer or solution.

The only time people really pay attention to this idea of a “search engine” anymore is when Google releases a new algorithm update. Those updates are typically a sign to businesses and marketers that it’s time to update their website in order to remain in Google’s good graces for ranking purposes.

At the end of the day, that’s what the search engines ultimately care about: internet users. Helping connect them to the information they need and keeping them safe while they do it.

But that’s not what the Internet or search engines initially looked like — or aimed to do —
back in the 1960s when this all started. If you’re not familiar with the history of search engines, buckle up. We’re going to take you on a long and windy road through all the search engines that paved the way to Google.